How to drain water from a suspended ceiling?

Stretch ceilings are good because they perfectly retain water when flooded by neighbors above - the material stretches, collecting it in one place. Subsequently she drains through the hole in the chandelier, lamp or partially dismantling the baguette. Let's find out how best to do this and what is required.

Draining water from a suspended ceiling yourself

If you see a quickly forming “stalactite” from a stretch ceiling in a room, you need to act immediately. First of all it is necessary inform neighbors about flooding and block communications in the apartment. Next, we proceed to drain the moisture from the ceiling space.

Firms providing services for installing suspended ceilings deal with drainage. If you are not confident in your own abilities, turn to professionals.

Preparing for draining

After informing the neighbors, turning off the power supply in the panel and shutting off the water in the apartment or throughout the riser in the entrance, we begin to prepare for the drain. For this you need prepare a large number of containers, remove furniture and decorative items, and cover large equipment and furniture with thick film and secure with tape.

Next, we need to find a place where it will be more convenient to drain the water. This is the closest hole in the lamp or the edge of the canvas located next to the cluster.Having decided, we begin to eliminate the consequences of flooding.

Drain options

Depending on the amount of moisture and its location under the ceiling there are several solutions. There are three main methods:

1. Through the hole under the chandelier.
2. From slots for spotlights.
3. Folding back the edge of the canvas, removing part of it from the baguette.

In the first two cases, it is necessary to dismantle the lighting fixture located closest to the accumulated moisture. Don't forget to turn off the power first. Next, the canvas is pulled down by the hole until the water begins to drain into the prepared containers. The canvas will have to be pulled until the water is completely pumped out.

It is important not to remove the reinforcing ring from the lamp. Insert your fingers inside and grab it in several places: this way the canvas will remain intact.

If the lighting fixtures are located far from the place where moisture accumulates, a method with partial dismantling of the canvas is suitable. It is necessary to determine the section of the ceiling closest to the place of flooding, remove the fastenings and bend back a small part of the material. It is important to hold the film tightly so that it does not slip out or tear.

If too much water has accumulated near the ceiling, use a hose. By inserting it into the hole under the lighting fixture or securing it behind a folded sheet, it is easy to pump out water into buckets.

Drying the ceiling

Films respond well to flooding and have the ability to recover after an accident. But before re-installing the fabric, you should thoroughly dry the rough ceiling and the material itself. This usually takes from two days to a week.

Only after making sure that the surfaces are absolutely dry and that fungus does not subsequently form at the site of flooding do we install the canvas in place. It is not recommended to use household or construction hair dryers to quickly dry the tension material. It will greatly harm it, elasticity will decrease and the ceiling will become unusable.

Common mistakes

Experts call the most common mistake when flooding a stretch ceiling is incorrect determination of the amount of water. A person must understand what he will need help from other people. It is better to do the draining yourself in the company of a relative or friends.

Also common mistakes include:

• puncture of the canvas (this is strictly forbidden, since under the pressure of the volume of water a small puncture will sharply increase, and all the water will end up on the floor, and the material will become unusable);
• running water to the farthest hole from the lamp (this option can greatly harm the condition of the ceiling);
• smoothing the fabric with improvised objects (sharp or sloppy edges can easily damage the integrity of the fabric);
• drying with a household hairdryer (under the influence of high temperatures, the material will most likely behave poorly, shrinking or cracking).

After draining the water, give the surfaces time to dry on their own. Provide natural ventilation and ventilate the room well for several days.

How do fabric ceilings behave when flooded?

The fabric is significantly different from PVC film. Its texture resembles the interweaving of threads and has a porous structure. During the flood in the first minutes the canvas still holds water, but then it seeps through the threads.You can find out about a leak by large wet spots that appear on the ceiling surface.

If you wait a little longer, it will begin to drip onto the furnishings in the room. You need to act immediately.

The operation to save the ceiling from water accumulation is not a difficult task. Anyone can handle it without the help of professionals. However, if you are not confident in your abilities and are afraid of tearing the ceiling, it is better to contact companies that eliminate the consequences of flooding.